Impacted Teeth
Impacted teeth refer to the condition where a tooth becomes blocked or trapped (impacted) as it is emerging and pushing through the gum into your mouth (erupting). The tooth may be able to partially emerge so that the crown is visible (partially impacted), or it may be completely blocked (fully impacted).
The most common teeth to become impacted are wisdom teeth, which usually begin to erupt between the ages of seventeen to twenty-one years. Wisdom teeth refer to when the third molars at the back of your mouth do not have enough room to develop or erupt (surface) normally. It is most common for people to have four wisdom teeth at the back of their mouth; two on the bottom and two on the top.
Although in some cases impacted wisdom teeth cause no immediate or obvious problems, in some cases they can cause much pain, crowding and damage to other teeth and other dental issues. This is because wisdom teeth are harder to clean and are therefore more susceptible to tooth decay, gum disease and other forms of dental problems than other teeth are.
Impacted teeth that result in pain or other dental problems are commonly removed. Furthermore, your dentist or other oral surgeon may recommend removing impacted wisdom teeth that do not currently display any adverse symptoms (asymptomatic) in order to prevent future problems from developing.
The second most commonly impacted tooth is the upper canine. This tooth may be impacted due to lack of space in your arch or it could also be hereditary. The upper canine is a very important tooth and the impacted canine can be brought in your arch with orthodontic (braces) treatment.
